Driveway signaling device



Jan. 21, 1941'. a VAN ZALE 2,229,198

DRIVEWAY SIGNALING DEVICE Filed 001:. 16, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l ear 1 211 06..

BY 5:51 M% A TTOR/VEY Jan. 21, 1941. G. VAN ZALE DRIVEWAY SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Oct. 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [IVVEN 0R 6' a ZagZa/.

A ORNEY Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to driveway signaling devices, and more particularly to a device for actuating an alarm for automatically announcing the arrival of a motor vehicle at a gasoline station or service station, whereby the attendant, who may be at a distance from the station, may be advised that a vehicle is awaiting service, and/or whereby the driver of the vehicle may be assured of prompt attention.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide means, including a pneumatic element, depressible by the wheels of a motor vehicle, for actuating the alarm.

Another object of the invention is to design a vehicle actuated signaling device of simple, practical, and substantial design, composed of few parts, which can be very economically manufactured, and which can be easily and quickly installed.

A further object is to provide a driveway signaling device operable by the wheels of a motor vehicle, the exposed or outside portion of which can be easily and quickly detached and placed in the building each night at the close of business so that it cannot be removed or stolen by some unauthorized person.

A still further object is to provide a signaling device including a simple, practical, and adjustable mercury switch which controls the timing of the alarm, and provides means for preventing the escape of the mercury from the device.

A further object still is to design a simple, economical, and practical switch mechanism which is positive in operation, and which can be easily and quickly adjusted.

With the above and other objects in View, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view illustrating an automotive vehicle service station with my driveway signaling device in position, the broken lines indicating vehicles to be serviced.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged part sectional detail view of the pressure actuated switch.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged part sectional view of the plug and adjustable contact.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the signaling device, the solid lines showing a battery used as the source of electrical energy, the broken lines illustrating the device used with a transformer which is connected to the station wiring system.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View showing the vent in the fitting in the air line.

The present invention relates to driveway signals.

Automotive vehicle service stations usually include a plurality of gasoline dispensing pumps 8, with an ofiice or garage building located directly adjacent thereto, and driveways 9 lead past opposite sides of this battery of pumps. The attendant may have additional duties, other than the dispensing of gasoline, which take his time and attention, and when so engaged he may not be aware that a vehicle is awaiting service, and the present invention is designed to sound an alarm so that the attendant of the station will be properly and immediately informed of the arriving vehicle, even though the vehicle is not seen by the attendant by reason of his View being obstructed, or his attention to other matters and/or duties in the ofiice or garage.

The invention embodies a suitable alarm or signal l0, suitably mounted in the building H, and means operable by the wheels of the vehicles B entering a driveway 9 for automatically rendering the signal operative, such means embodying a pneumatic element l2 in the shape of a flexible tube or hose, one end of which is closed or plugged, the opposite end leading to the wall of the building and being connected to a pipe l3 which communicates with and is connected to a switch I4 which can be of any desired shape.

The switch 14 in the present instance comprises a preferably wood block [5 which can be secured in position in any desired manner. The upper end of this block is bored as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings to provide spaced apart chambers I6 and [1 respectively, and passages l8 and 19 lead downwardly from these chambers, with their lower ends open to a horizontally disposed common passage 20 thus establishing communication between the chambers l6 and IT, a threaded member 2| forming a closure for the open end of the passage 20 and also serves as a contact in a manner to be hereinafter described.

A wood plug 22 forms a closure for the open upper end of the chamber l6 and is centrally bored as at 23 to accommodate a fitting 24 which is threaded thereunto, and to which one end of the pipe I3 is connected in the usual manner.

A baflle member 25 is secured to the lower end of the plug at its one edge by means of a brad 26, said bafile being formed of waxed cardboard or fiber board so that air can be readily forced inwardly through the bore 23, but reverse pressure will tend to force the bafile upwardly against the lower end of the plug, so that any escaping air must flow around and over the upper face of the b aille and thence out through the bore 23.

A similar plug 21 forms a closure for the open end of the chamber I7 and isv also formed with a centrally bored passage 28, a bafiie 29 being secured to the lower face in the same manner as is the baffle 25, this bafile however being formed with a centrally disposed opening 39 and for a purpose to be presently described.

A threaded member 3| is threaded in the passage 28 and a contact pin 32 is mounted in the lower end of the member 3!, said pin projecting through the opening in the baflle, and extending into the passage It provided in the block. A small vent or opening 33 is provided in the plug 21 and is offset fro-m the center, the bafiie 29 serving the same purpose as does the baffle 25, by forcing any escaping air to flow around and over the baffie before entering the vent 33.

A predetermined volume of a mercury mixture, indicated at 34, is placed in the passage 28 and extends into the passages l8 and I9, and the lower end of the pin 32 is. spaced slightly above the normal level thereof, so that.,.when the pneumatic element 52 is depressed by the wheels of an automotive vehicle, the air pressure through the pipe IE; will force the mercury mixture upwardly and submerge the end of the contact pin 32, naturally there must be a vent or relief to release the air in the chamber I! when the pressure forces the mercury to surge in the column I9, and this is taken care of by the vent or opening 33, which causes the air to travel around the outer edge and over the face of the bafiie.

Likewise when the vehicle wheels leave the element I2, a more or less violent suction is set up, causing the mercury to bounce in the opposite direction and into the tube is and this is prevented by the baffle 25 in the same manner as previously described.

Due to the peculiar characteristics of this mercury mixture, I have found it necessary to interpose these bafiles between the openings 23 and 33 and the mixture 34, as I find that the mercury bounces, caused by the pressure surges and the suction, will force the drops of mercury through very tiny openings, but if the drops can be broken up, these bouncing drops will drop back into the chamber, this bafile effectively diverts the air stream and breaks the bouncing drops, and the mercury of course will not travel horizontally, so I find that it can be accurately controlled.

In addition to the vent 33, I provide a similar vent 24a in the fitting 24, so that when the vehicle wheels come to rest on the pneumatic element, the air will escape through this vent 24a relieving the pressure in the chamber 5 so that the mercury returns to normal position thus breaking the circuit.

A battery 35 forms a part of the installation and is interposed in the conductor line 36 which leads from the member M to the contact 31 provided on the alarm 38, a similar conductor 35% leading from the contact 419 to the contact 3! which is. mounted in the plug 27, this contact being readily adjustable so that the gap between the end of the pin and the mercury can be adjusted as desired or found necessary.

When it is desirable to connect the signal direct to a lighting system in the building, a transformer H, (shown in broken lines in Fig. 5 of the drawing) is provided, the battery 35 is eliminated, and conductor lines 42 and 43 connect to the member 2! and to the contact 31 respectively, thus completing the electrical circuit, and when the pneumatic element i2 is depressed, the air pressure will force the mercury mixture upwardly, closing the circuit and energizing the signal in exactly the same manner. Should however the wheels remain on the pneumatic element, the vent 33 serves to relieve the pressure and open the circuit.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows:

When the wheels of a vehicle pass over the flexible pneumatic element l2, sections of said element will be depressed, causing the air in the element to surge upwardly through the pipe l3 and into the chamber It. This increased pressure raises the normal level of the mercury mixture in the passage it so that it contacts the end of the contact pin 32, closing the circuit and sounding the alarm, the relative position of the end of the contact pin with relation to the normal level of the mixture determining the length of time the signal will be energized.

During the hours when the station is closed, it may be advisable and desirable to take up or remove the flexible hose 12 to prevent tampering and theft thereof, and I have therefore provided a suitable connection, (not shown) at the building wall so that the hose may be readily disconnected and placed in the building or in any other desired location.

The signal can be of any desired kind, either a bell, chimes, or other alarm, and the block I5 is formed of wood because of its inherent ab sorbent characteristics to absorb any scum from the mercury caused by agitation and/ or exposure to the atmosphere; furthermore, the mercury has very little contact with metal, and the con tact pin is specially treated to prevent oxidization or the forming of small bubbles which might otherwise cling to the pin.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that I have perfected a very simple, practical, and inexpensive switch and driveway signal device for service stations and the like, the operation and advantages of which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. A circuit maker and breaker for a signaling device of the kind described, having a signal medium and a pneumatic element, comprising a block having spaced vertical chambers opening upwardly therethrough and a lead between said chambers, plugs fitting the chambers, an intake vent in one of said plugs and an exhaust vent in the other plug, flexible members forming bafiles within the chambers and attached at one point marginally thereof to the plugs in confronting relation to the vents for fluid control therethrough, an adjustable contact fitting one plug for extension into the lead, mercury Within the lead for engaging the contact on displacement of said mercury, another adjustable contact fitting the block and constantly engaging the mercury, and a detachable coupling separably joining the pneumatic element with the other plug for delivering pressure through its vent and chamber common thereto against the mercury for displacement thereof to engage the first named contact.

2. A circuit maker and breaker for a driveway signaling device of the kind described, having a signal medium and a pneumatic element, comprising a wood block having spaced vertical chambers opening upwardly therethrough and a U-shaped passage connecting the lower ends of said chambers, a plug fitting the open end of each of the chambers, one plug having an intake vent therethrough and the opposite plug having an exhaust vent, flexible members forming bafiles within the chambers and attached to the lower ends of the plugs in confronting relation to the vents for fluid control therethrough, a metallic GEORGE VAN ZALE. 

